Coaches and instructors in the sports of baseball and golf have experienced a measure of success teaching the art or science of properly striking or hitting the ball. It is well known that in each of these activities, the most important function and a typical failing from the standpoint of properly striking the ball is the inability of the participant to maintain the head at a substantially stationary position during swinging of a baseball bat or a golf club. Coaches and fans of these sports have noticed that there seems to be one elementary function necessary to hit the ball no matter what style of stance, swing, bat or club is used. Before anything, the participant must "see" the ball. Thus conventional phrases of encouragement and training such as "watch the ball", "don't over-swing", "watch the ball from the pitcher's release to the bat", "watch the bat hit the ball", "look at the ball, not where you hope to send it" have been employed by coaches for generations with limited success. There is a natural tendency, especially in novices, for the participant to turn the head and/or raise the head during the swing and prior to striking the ball, so as to watch where the ball is intended to go. Unfortunately, when the head is thus turned during the swing, many abnormalities occur which result in errant striking of the ball. Thus, the ball does not typically go where the user intends but rather takes on an errant flight that is the result of these abnormalities.
From the standpoint of firearm shooting, it is well known that one can not hit the target when the sights of the firearm are moving relative to the eye of the user and the intended target. Firearm users may explain the slightest tap on the head, or any kind of interference that moves the sight, causes the firearm to discharge its shot in errant manner relative to the target. Thus, it is well known that the eye must concentrate on both sight and the target at the time the firearm discharges in order for the target to be repeatedly hit. From the standpoint of baseball, the slightest movement of the head during the swing causes the eye of the user to have less than desired contact with the ball, which is the target of the bat. Any movement of the head which causes loss of eye contact with the ball results in the participant swatting aimlessly at the ball and thus either missing or mishitting the ball.
It is also well known that from T-ball, played by young novices, to professional baseball, head-on contact with the ball is the only satisfying result of a swing. Poor or no contact as the participant swings the bat is in many cases described as a "slump". After hitting a home-run, many players have stated "I didn't even hit it hard"; however, the player properly positioned the bat relative to the ball during the swing and thus imparted maximum force and proper direction to the ball, causing its flight to carry the ball out of the park.
Since head movement during swinging is a major cause of improper baseball hitting, it is desirable to provide an efficient means for enabling a player during practicing activities to make a self-determination that the head is not being held steady. It is also desirable to enable a baseball player and the participants of other sporting activities to make a self-determination of the manner by which the head may be maintained substantially stationary during the swing to enable the participant to make self-improvement in batting or swinging activities.